It's All Greek And Hebrew To Me
"It's All Greek And Hebrew To Me" is a mini-story that is part of the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series. The Story During one of Empath's visits to the Smurf Village, Empath found Tapper all by himself reading a book that he had never seen Tapper read before. "Salutations, fellow Tapper," Empath greeted in a voice of no particular emotion. "This smurf is curious as to find out what kind of book you are reading today." "Ah, my fellow Empath," Tapper said. "I would be happy to satisfy your curiosity. This happens to be the book called the Holy Scriptures, which was smurfed to me by an angel who claims to be of God." "God?" Empath asked. "Which god are you referring to?" "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord God Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, whose name is Jehovah, or Yahweh," Tapper replied. "He is the only true God in existence who has created everything you see as well as everything you don't." "How can this God be the only true god that exists?" Empath asked. "What about Mother Nature and Father Time?" "Those are not gods in the sense that they are equals to the one true God, my good Empath," Tapper answered. "In the beginning, God created all the spiritual forces that exist in creation, including the angels. Not all spirits are good, mind you, for even the greatest angel of all, the one named Lucifer, chose to oppose the one true God and was sent down to Earth along with one-third of the heavenly host that chose to smurf his side." "So Mother Nature and Father Time are fallen angels?" Empath asked. Tapper sighed. "I'm afraid that this is going to get a bit difficult to answer, because even I don't know all the answers. Nevertheless, the reason that God's opponent, the Devil, is called Lucifer is that he uses light to deceive people into thinking that he's a good divine being." "And this book you're reading helps you to know who and what this one true God is and what He wants of you," Empath surmised. "Indeed, Empath," Tapper said. "The Psalmist says 'Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor has stood in the way of sinners, nor has sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Law of Jehovah; and in His Law he meditates day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not wither, and all that he does shall prosper.'" "Would you allow this smurf to touch the book so that this smurf would know what it contains?" Empath asked. "It would be better for you to open the book to smurf out for yourself, but I will let you smurf the book in your hand if that's what you desire," Tapper replied. Tapper gave Empath the book, which Empath then just held in his hand and tried to scan with his mind powers, but found out something was wrong. "That's strange," Empath commented. "Apparently there must be something supernatural about this book, because this smurf is unable to determine just by touching it what it contains." "That's the power of the Scriptures, my friend," Tapper said. "You won't know what it contains unless you actually read it for yourself." Empath sighed. He decided to entertain his friend and open the book to read it manually. But when he did, he ran into another problem as he looked through the pages. "This book seems to be written in a foreign language...two of them, if this smurf understands what this smurf is seeing correctly," Empath said as he examined the pages. Tapper chuckled. "I'm afraid that's the original languages of the Scriptures...Hebrew and Greek, as they were written by the prophets and apostles long ago. I smurfed into the same problem myself at times when I was first reading through the Scriptures, only to smurf across this strange language. I asked the Almighty what these languages were, and He revealed to me that these are the languages people will see if they are smurfing through the Scriptures without desiring to know God for themselves." "That isn't exactly helpful to anyone else, Tapper," Empath said. "Is there a way that this smurf would be able to read the Scriptures in the same language this smurf reads everything else here in the village?" "Let me smurf the book from you, and I will pray," Tapper suggested. Empath handed the book back to Tapper, and then he said, "O Lord God Almighty, I pray that you would enlighten my friend Empath so that he would know You in truth, and that he would know what he should be reading when he first opens the Scriptures. In the name of Your only begotten Son Jesus, I pray. Amen." Then Tapper handed Empath back the book. Empath opened to the first page and saw that it read: Read the gospel of John. "The gospel of John?" Empath asked, curious. He leafed through the pages and saw that everything was now readable in his own language, plain as day. He finally reached the page where it read The Gospel According To John and looked at the first few verses: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not lay hold of it. Empath continued reading: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those believing into His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ''And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who arrives after me appeared in history before me, for He existed before me. And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Empath looked at Tapper rather strangely. "This smurf senses that it isn't some sort of trick you were playing on this smurf just to get this smurf to read this book." "'Tis no trick at all, my fellow Empath," Tapper said, sounding sincere. "If you have a desire to know God for who and what He is, He will honor that desire and give you what you need. It's up to you to decide whether you want to smurf out in faith to seek the One who seeks after you." "May this smurf borrow this book from you, if it isn't too much trouble for you to lend such a book to your fellow Smurf?" Empath asked. "By all means, take and read it for as long as you want," Tapper answered. "I will not be left wanting for the Word of God while you do so. I will continue to pray that your eyes will be opened as well as your mind and your heart to receive whatever the Word has to smurf to you." "This smurf is honored that you would allow such a privilege, fellow Tapper," Empath said, taking the book. "This smurf promises to take good care of your property." ----- Through the rest of the day, Empath spent it reading from Tapper's holy book. Most of his fellow Smurfs paid no attention to Empath doing this. Then Brainy came along when he noticed what Empath was doing. "Say, Empath, what are you doing with Tapper's holy book?" Brainy asked as he came over to talk to Empath. "Tapper gave this smurf permission to read his holy book, fellow Brainy," Empath responded. "This smurf senses that you have had previous experience trying to read it yourself." "I admit that I tried to, Empath, but all I smurf out of this book is a lot of nonsense that is smurfed in languages that I don't even know about," Brainy said. "So you're saying that you have no desire to know about this God that Tapper talks about," Empath surmised. "Let's face it, Empath, I can understand that everything in this physical creation has an origin point that smurfs back to well before there were even Smurfs in this world," Brainy said. "But I can never believe that there is one single being that's greater than even Father Time or Mother Nature who has created everything, especially not a being that I can never smurf with my own two eyes." "Would you believe that this God existed if He were to show any evidence of Himself to you, and that He is truly who Tapper and this book says He is?" Empath asked. "I would have to say yes, because I'm a Smurf who believes in physical evidence smurfing the sole factor of one higher being's existence," Brainy answered. "This smurf will accept it as a valid answer, Brainy," Empath said. "However, this book seems to suggest that it is faith that is the certainty of things that are hoped for and the evidence of things that are not seen." "Don't tell me you're going to become a believer in this God like Tapper is," Brainy said, sounding incredulous. "This smurf is not saying anything of the sort, Brainy," Empath said. "This smurf is merely trying to decide for myself what to believe is true." "Well, that's your choice to make," Brainy said. "I have already smurfed up my mind as to what I'm going to believe is the truth, and no Smurf either on earth or anywhere else is going to make me change my mind." Just then, Hefty was passing by when he noticed both Brainy and Empath talking to each other. "So what's star-face and you smurfing now, Brainy?" Hefty asked. "We were just discussing Empath's current interest in Tapper's holy book, Hefty," Brainy said. "Hmmm...figures," Hefty said, sounding dismissive. "Tapper thinks he can get other Smurfs to believe in this imaginary God of his just by smurfing words from that silly book." "You do not seem to have any interest in spiritual matters, fellow Hefty," Empath said. "This smurf wonders why." "That's not any of your business to know why, punk," Hefty said. "Let's just say I got better things to smurf than to sit around and smurf through that book of fantasy." "You never even tried smurfing through that book once, Hefty," Brainy said. "Something just isn't right with it, Brainy," Hefty said. "I tried smurfing it away from Tapper one time and smurfed it to pieces, cover and all, but then it just smurfs back together and looks like I haven't smurfed anything to it." "That could be the power of Tapper's God protecting that book in case anyone does try to destroy it, fellow Hefty," Empath said. "Yeah, right," Hefty scoffed. "Anyway, you two can have fun discussing that book. I'm going to smurf myself into shape at the gym." With that, Hefty walked off. Brainy sighed. "There's no use trying to talk to Hefty about Tapper's holy book, Empath. If he's not going to believe anything that it says about this God, then what's the point?" "This smurf senses that he has no trouble believing that Father Time and Mother Nature exist, Brainy," Empath said. "This smurf can only wonder why he would say in his heart that he doesn't believe any gods exist in the first place." "Who knows when it smurfs to Hefty, Empath?" Brainy said. "I just know he's never going to listen to me and my smurfs of wisdom." ----- Later on Papa Smurf found Empath reading Tapper's holy book. "I see that you're interested in finding out about this God that Tapper smurfs about from his holy book, my little Empath," Papa Smurf said. "This smurf was curious to find out, but the more this smurf reads from this book, the more questions this smurf seems to have rather than answers, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "Have you tried reading from this book?" "Tapper smurfed me the book one time to read, Empath, but admittedly I find it bewildering that there are things in that holy book that this God has permitted to happen without smurfing anything about," Papa Smurf said. "So you're not a believer in this God either?" Empath asked. "I believe that the gods who created this world know our hearts better than we do, Empath, and that they are smurfing over us to make sure that we are smurfing on the path of goodness and fairness for all people, including Smurfs," Papa Smurf answered. "But you allow Tapper to believe whatever he believes from the holy book that he reads without saying anything about it, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "I merely told him that as long as he doesn't use what he believes to smurf harm to his fellow Smurfs, then I will not smurf in the way of what he wishes to believe as far as how he wants to smurf his life among us, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "That same rule also applies to you in whatever you wish to smurf your faith in." "Would you hate this smurf if this smurf ever decided to become a believer in the same God that Tapper believes in?" Empath asked. "No, Empath, I would never hate you," Papa Smurf said. "You are very dear and special to me, just like all your brothers in the village. I may discipline you as smurfs good in my wisdom, but I would never forsake you." ----- After several days, Empath came to Tapper with the holy book. "This smurf appreciates you allowing this smurf the opportunity to read through this book, fellow Tapper," Empath said. "It is my pleasure to allow a fellow Smurf that opportunity, for as I have freely received from the Lord Himself, so now also I must freely give," Tapper said. "But my spirit senses that you have not reached the point of wanting to receive the Lord as your personal Savior." "That is correct," Empath said. "As a follower of both the Psychelian and Smurf ways of living, this smurf must determine for myself which path this smurf would choose to follow for this smurf's future." "That choice is entirely up to you, my friend," Tapper said. "I can only pray that the Lord God Almighty will give you a desire to find the narrow path that smurfs to true life with Him so that you will not smurf down the broad path to destruction." "You fear that this will happen to all your fellow Smurfs, including Papa Smurf, if they do not accept this God of yours as their personal Savior?" Empath asked. "I sense in my spirit that may be what the Lord has smurfed me for, Empath," Tapper said. "He has no delight in the death of the wicked -- and compared to Him, we are all considered wicked in His sight -- but that the wicked should smurf from His ways and live. How it must break His heart to see how many would smurf the broad path of destruction without realizing what they may be missing out on in eternity." "Well, this smurf will not interfere with your efforts of spreading your message of salvation to your fellow Smurfs if your desire is to see them be happy in eternity with you," Empath said as he handed the book back to Tapper. "Anytime you want to smurf more from the Word of God, you know where you can turn to, my friend," Tapper said with a smile. Category:Mini-stories Category:Empath the Luckiest Smurf stories Category:VicGeorge2K9's articles Category:Empath's past stories